Commuter rail makes headway as officials pledge cooperation

Passenger rail could come to northeast Pennsylvania in as little as six to eight years, U.S. Sen. Robert Casey Jr. said following a meeting Wednesday with state, New Jersey and federal officials.

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By HOWARD FRANK

poconorecord.com

By HOWARD FRANK

Posted Jun. 19, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 19, 2008 at 12:10 AM

By HOWARD FRANK

Posted Jun. 19, 2008 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jun 19, 2008 at 12:10 AM

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Kanjorski Statement

Congressman Kanjorski's Statement on the rail meeting with New Jersey and Federal Officials

"Today's meeting about the Scranton-NYC railway made some progress and I feel more confident that ...

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Kanjorski Statement

Congressman Kanjorski's Statement on the rail meeting with New Jersey and Federal Officials

"Today's meeting about the Scranton-NYC railway made some progress and I feel more confident that this necessary project will soon be under way. From the meeting we discerned that a rollout of the project can begin once the Federal Transit Administration's environmental impact study is completed. This is expected to take place in August."

"The railway is a project for which I have strongly advocated and now it is even more necessary to see it come to fruition then ever before. The large amount of congestion that now occurs on Interstate 80 makes it more difficult for people to travel and commute by car. Additionally, people are unable to afford to drive as frequently because of the continuously increasing energy prices. A rail line connecting Northeastern Pennsylvania to New York City would provide many benefits to help respond to many of the transportation problems that people currently face. I will continue to work diligently with my colleagues in the House and Senate to see this project through to completion."

Passenger rail could come to northeast Pennsylvania in as little as six to eight years, U.S. Sen. Robert Casey Jr. said following a meeting Wednesday with state, New Jersey and federal officials.

"We have a very firm commitment from the administrator of the Federal Transit Administration that the environment study will move very swiftly. That's dependent upon New Jersey Transit officials filing the necessary paperwork, and on their cooperation," Casey said.

The New Jersey officials pledged their cooperation as well, he added.

The meeting to discuss the progress of commuter rail service between Scranton and New York City was attended by Pennsylvania Sens. Casey, D, and Arlen Specter, R, officials from the Federal Transit Administration, representatives from the offices of U.S. Reps. Chris Carney, R-10, and Paul Kanjorski, D-11, Gov. Ed Rendell's office and New Jersey officials.

At issue is an environmental study required as the preliminary step in restoring the route. Once the environmental study is completed, the engineering phase of the project will follow.

"The main purpose of today was to impress upon the Federal Transit Administration getting the environmental studies done. Unless you have meetings and a sense of urgency, it won't get done," Casey said.

He stressed the significance of the two states and the federal agency sitting down to discuss the project's status. "This is the first time we've had that kind of representation in one room. We have to work with the state of New Jersey to get the agreements we need between the two states," Casey said.

Rail lines between Scranton and New York are mostly in place, with the exception of a 28-mile stretch known as the Lackawanna Cutoff. That stretch runs between Port Morris, N.J., and the Delaware Water Gap. The tracks along the Lackawanna Cutoff were torn out years ago and the land sold off.

A 7.3-mile portion of that stretch, extending service between Port Morris and Andover Township, N.J., recently qualified for federal funding. But Casey said Wednesday's meeting was focused on the entire Scranton-to-New York connection.

"There has to be a commitment for the whole line. We want to make sure the whole 133 miles between Scranton and New York is covered here," he said, adding that the environmental review does in fact cover the entire line.

Casey wouldn't make any predictions on the outcome of the environmental study, but sounded optimistic. "I think it's highly likely the environmental step will be positive," he said.

"This is about commerce and economic development, and relieving traffic on (Interstate) 80. This is about the future. There are thousands of people who will rely on this line to get to work. It's an incredibly important priority to me and to Senator Specter," he said.

Rep. Carney said that working across state lines makes the job of restoring passenger rail service difficult. "The complexity of working with the New Jersey governor and delegation compounds the time frame, but the will is to get it done. It's in New Jersey's interests to get cars off the road," he said.

Kanjorski's statement read, "Today's meeting about the Scranton-NYC railway made some progress and I feel more confident that this necessary project will soon be under way. From the meeting we discerned that a rollout of the project can begin once the Federal Transit Administration's environmental impact study is completed. This is expected to take place in August."

Specter released a statement: "Senator Casey and I convened a very productive meeting with the Federal Transit Administration Administrator, the Chairman and the Chief Operating Officer of the PA Northeast Regional Railroad Authority and the Assistant Executive Director of New Jersey Transit. Very significant progress is being made for $17 million to supplement $20 million to complete Port Morris to Andover, N.J. While it's impossible to be specific as to timing, we are moving ahead on active plans to move all the way to Scranton.

"The federal officials believe that federal participation is realistic, providing Pennsylvania and New Jersey do their share, which we think is also doable. There obviously is a great deal to be done to move toward total funding, but this meeting today was a significant step along the way."